Giveaway ... "Hearts of Courage"

One lucky winner will get a personally autographed copy of John Tippets' book, "Hearts of Courage". I met John a few years ago when he shared some of the inspirational moments and events that occurred while writing this book. I'd love for you all to meet him or hear him speak ... Next best thing: READ THIS BOOK! It's an inspiring, heart wrenching AND heart warming, nail-biting, peace-giving true adventure.

The thrilling account of CAA radio engineer Joseph Tippets and the 1943 Gillam crash in remote Alaska is a wonderful story of courage, endurance, love, faith, and prayers answered. It’s a true Alaska adventure!

To enter, simply leave a comment.
Additional entries:
Be a follower (1 entry)
Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post (3 entries)
Facebook with a link to this post (2 entries)
Twitter with a link to this post (1 entry per tweet ... May tweet once a day)

This book can be purchased on Amazon or directly from John by ordering over email at johntippets@yahoo.com ... Price is $19.95 plus $3 shipping.

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Heart

1st, I'm excited to announce the winner of this week's giveaway from Simply Simon is Stef from Glitterbabe!

This is a picture of my two oldest children, both of whom now have children of their own. Wow. Where did the time go?
Elizabeth Stone said
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."
It's true. My heart belongs to my family ... Physical distance just means my heart is stretched further. For those of you with kids, did you have any idea your heart could stretch so far? Don't have kids? What/who has captured your heart?

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Friday Pretties

A big thanks to Joyce for starting Friday Pretties. This week, since I'm visiting my parents I thought I'd walk around their home with a camera to get pictures of some very old pretties.

This old phonograph was owned by my paternal great grandmother ... The records still play!


Pictured to the left are my maternal grandparents, and the frame on the right holds a hair wreath from the combings of this grandma and her siblings made by their mother ... Sounds strange, but its really neat!


The painting above depicts the cows my dad helped raise, and the grandfather clock below belongs to my mother ... Not old, but still a family heirloom.

Below is the wedding chest made for my mom's grandmother over 100 years ago.


These 2 items have always been know. As "the-shelf-that-Dad-built" and "the -desk-that-Dad-built". You'll clearly see the 4s carved in the shelf, identifying it as belonging to me :) hehehehe ... I'm no dummy -even at age 4 I knew how to get what I wanted :)

"Every man is quotation from all his ancestors."

Ralph Waldo Emerson
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No more strangers ...

As the origami cranes come flying in from all over the world I am reminded of the words of Paul, the apostle (and let me just say that it doesn't matter what religious beliefs you have or don't have ... We are all still brothers and sisters) who said, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God."


Thank you, my friends who were once strangers, for your show of love and support, for your prayers and positive thoughts for my mother, for your kind words, for your friendship.



Much love to all of you.


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Stroll with Me

"Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow."
Henry David Thoreau

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Giveaway

I'm happy to introduce you all to my friend, Desiree ... She's got a great little shop and is offering a giveaway to our Silver Strands readers. To enter just leave a comment. 3 additional entries if you're a follower! Here's Desiree:

Hi! I am Desiree from .simply.simon. and I am honored to be guest posting today & hosting a giveaway right here on Silver Strands. Since I am hosting Christmas in July over on my blog I thought that today's inspirational Monday should be about something that inspires me at Christmas time. I believe that most people are inspired by Christmas songs so I will share my favorite one with you today, called When Love Came Down. It is sung by Point of Grace & written by Chris Eaton. Christmas should be about Christ & this song is a simple reminder of why we all get to be filled with joy an Celebrate. I love every line and it is a favorite all year round. To listen to this beautiful song go here.
Lyrics:

Close your eyes and share the dream
Let everyone on earth believe
The Child was born, the stars shone bright
And Love came down at Christmas time
And Love came down at Christmas time

Christmas Eve, 2 am
Heavy snow is falling down
And the streets clothed in white
Echo songs that were sung by candlelight

We're alive, we can breathe
But do we really care for this world in need?
There's a choice we must make each and every day

So close your eyes and share the dream
Let everyone on earth believe
The Child was born, the stars shone bright
And Love came down at Christmas time
And Love came down at Christmas time

So Merry Christmas everyone
And Peace throughout the year
The time has come to celebrate
So let your voices fill the air
Everyone, watch and pray that the sun will shine on a brighter day
Join your hands, lift them high
For this gift of life

When Love came down at Christmas time
When Love came down at Christmas time
When Love came down at Christmas time
When Love came down at Christmas time

So close your eyes and share the dream
Let everyone on earth believe
The Child was born, the stars shone bright
And Love came down at Christmas time
And Love came down at Christmas time

Now about the giveaway:

I will be giving away, to one lucky person, a choice prize! You can choose between a mini journal pack or any one item from the Lydia's Treasures collection in my shop! And as an extra treat, everyone will get 10% off (returned after checkout) with any purchase in my store until July 31st - simply use the code: silverstrands10 in a message to me when you purchase an item.

I hope your inspired by When Love Came Down as much as I am. Have a Merry Christmas this July! xoxo -dez




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Make a Wish Monday

1st, my friends ... Sorry for my infrequent posts lately. I've actually been disconnected from the Internet world. I spent the last few days at ANTELOPE ... The ranch in Idaho where my mother grew up.



Which brings me to his monday's wish: I wish for my children's children and their children the serenity, peace and complete joy of being a part of nature. And the unmatchable experience of spending time exploring family roots.



To help this happen I will spend part of this week writing about my feelings of the last few days. How is it, dear readers, that a place can evoke so much feeling? I found my heart swelling as I sat by the pond and watched the cows wade; as I climbed the leaning pine; as I picked wildflowers; and as I gazed at the stars. I felt the sweetness of the exemplary lives of my ancestors. All this from just BEING in that place.



What is your wish this Monday? Do you have a place that makes your heart swell?


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Good, good-bye ... Ruby Thursday ...

Anyone else out there humming and singing today? In our family our lives are musicals. We break into song over the most ridiculous statements. We can't help it.



Little Gage stands up and starts to dance whenever someone starts singing. Yup, my life is a musical. How do you classify your life?

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coolest mom on the block

I started a new job last week. In my negotiations I requested an iPad. I got it. Besides making my job easier and making me more efficient, this makes me cool, right? (or rather, "sick", if I want to use vernacular of the times)

I was hoping for just a simple little phone that does nothing but store numbers and allow texts. I ended up with this iPhone.

According to my kids, I'm now officially the coolest mom on the block.

Anyone out there use an iPad? Do you love it as much as I do?

Make-A-Wish Monday

Last week I wished for "solified connections" and I memorized the poem, Invictus, to help my little wish along. I'm pleased to report success to a degree ... and expected increased success this coming week.

For this week,

I wish greater healing for my mother.

To help this wish come true I'm inviting all of you

(and hoping you'll invite all of your blog readers)

to participate in a 1,000 origami crane project. If you don't know the story, you can read it here. Directions to make paper cranes can be found here. If you'd like, please include a little note with a positive thought.

Your crane should be mailed to:

Connie Call

2612 Ashwood Lane

Bedford, TX 76021

I'll be back in Texas with my parents in a couple of weeks. I hope all 1,000 cranes arrive by then so I can string them together for my mom. Thank you in advance for participating and for promoting this to your readers. Really, blog friends, you are the best! Lots of love to you all.

Sunday Quote

"There isn't anyone you couldn't love once you've heard their story."

Mary Lou Kownacki

Friday Pretties

Been traveling so I've missed talking with all of you! But today I'm bogging from this pretty spot!
How fair is a garden amid the toils and passions of existence.
-- Benjamin Disraeli

chocolate

I can't help it. Sometimes I just need dark chocolate. NOW.

I'm a major health-food nut

(yup - we drink green smoothies, flake our own oats for oatmeal, eat organic ...)

but every once in a great while it just hits.

So tonight after asking only half a dozen times, my husband and son zipped to the store and came home with chocolate ice cream and the fixin's for s'mores. Only I didn't make a s'more.

I scooped a bunch of sugar-free ice cream into my bowl, then used the entire candy bar as an edible spoon to devour the treat. But I figure with the ice cream being sugar free, it evened out and is like I didn't eat any treats at all. Right?

Exercise is a dirty word... Every time I hear it, I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

don't know who said it, but I like it

progress

I am suffocated and lost when I have not the bright feeling of progression.

Margaret Fuller

I did it.

I've got Invictus memorized.

It feels so good to complete things.

I'm a list maker. (any list-makers out there in blogland?)

I love to cross things off my list.

In fact, sometimes I'll do something, find I never wrote it on my list, so I'll write it down after doing it just so I can cross it off.

Anyway ...

I'm reporting to you that with my little push to help yesterday's wish come true, I've actually made progress.

How about you? Any Tuesday progress to report?

make a wish monday

Go ahead. Close your eyes ... make a wish ... open your eyes .... blow!

Mondays are now magical.

It's the day you make a wish and have the whole rest of the week to watch it come true.

Today I wish for solidified connections. Sounds vague, I know - but it's quite clear to me.

Every wish could use a little help with fulfillment, so here's my first step:

This week I'm memorizing Invictus to help my wish along.

Invictus was written by William Ernest Henley from his hospital bed ... it's the poem that ends "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."

Now it's your turn.

Make a wish.

(and just to clarify: you don't jinx it by telling. In fact, a wish shared becomes a dream which becomes a goal which becomes reality ... so do tell!)

sunday quote

"What is to give light, must endure burning"

Viktor Frankl

"I will love the light for it shows me the way. Yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars."

Og Mandino

give and take

First, the winner of Barb's adorable snowman is ....

HHL at Falling off a High-Heeled Life

Congratulations! Please email me with your mailing address, my dear friend.

Next, some more serious thoughts ...

Isn't the cycle of life amazing?

Birth, zipping through life, death ... when I really contemplate it, it's surreal. I can't quite wrap myself around it.

And anyone else feel that HUGE hole of emptiness when someone leaves this earth life? Even when it's someone you aren't super-close to? The world is just ... well, empty without Brett Banks and his comrades. Brett was one of the aircrew of USCG 6017 who lost their lives in a helicopter accident. Brett and his wife are friends of mine. The entire crew is from Sitka, Alaska - my home town. It's a small town - about 9,000 people. The whole town is grieving. The world just isn't the same.

And then, there's birth. Nothing like hearing the first cries of a newborn baby. What a miracle! And their skin - oh-so-soft! The smell ... Is there any better scent than that of a new baby?!? My granddaughter Cali entered this world shortly after my friend Brett left it. Thank you, Cali, for filling in the hole. You've filled it to overflowing.

friday pretties & snowman giveaway

First, a reminder to enter the giveaway for this whimsical snowman

from Barb at Barb's Heartstrokes

winner will be drawn and announced on Saturday

AND ... that snowman is very appropriate for our Friday Pretties.

I'm SO glad friday pretties fell on my Mother's birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

She's 75 today.

Have you ever seen anything prettier?!???

I'm sure Shakespeare wasn't talking about his mother, but his words are some I wish I would have come up with when talking to my mom:

To me, fair friend, you never can be old, For as you were when first your eye I eyed, Such seems your beauty still.

William Shakespeare

I love you Mom.

new-do week 8

Well, it's been 2 months and I'm sorta lovin' the cool comfort of mega-short hair.

On other news:

I took my girls to see David Archuleta at Deseret Book

for a book signing.

These are 2 of my daughters on the left singing into his mic.

Holy Schmoly! The girls were right up front for the mini concert, and I have to say ~ this kid is gorgeous in-person! And his voice! It's perfect.

(I'll take him for a son-in-law anytime!)

“If you have the desire, if you feel like “Yes, I want to do that”, even if it is a hard path to take, even if it has a lot of resistence with big hills and rocks and trees and you can get scratches, and you can trip and fall, and you can get hurt. I think that’s what makes us grow the most”.

David Archuleta

So, I've got some ideas of what I want to do - and even though the path may be hard, I'm going for it.

How about you? Are you on a path that may be difficult but 'worth it'?

10 years & new giveaway

thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou to my adorable friend at MarchMusings for this fun new award!

The rules: Tell where I'll be in 10 years and pass on to 10 other bloggers. So here goes: 10 years from now you'll find me waking up to the sound of surf (NO! I'm not saving up to buy one of those noise machines!) knowing I have a busy schedule. 1st on the list: yoga on the beach. This

is followed by a hearty breakfast, a scalp massage ~ not to be outdone by the foot massa

ge, then family time for the rest of the day. Oh! Did I tell you the location? Candidasa, Bali. They have the most magnificent little bungalows there. And the best part? YOU'RE ALL INVITED! 10 years from today ... mark your calendars!

Here you go, you 10 lucky bloggers who now get to share where you'll be in 10 years:

IvaMessy

Kelly at The Pretty Bee

Em at Hip Hip Gin Gin

Bobbi at The Lazy Designer

Paislely at Paisleys and Sugar

Tiffany at Dancing Branflakes

Mrs. Doctor at Life of a Doctor's Wife

Marcie at Lemons and Laundry

Clare at LB-Voyages of a Curious Mind

and even though he probably won't accept it,

CheeseBoy at The Blog O Cheese

Now on to this fun thing: a new giveaway!

Barb at Barb's Heart Strokes is giving away one of her whimsical Christmas pieces right here on this blog!

Check out all of her work on her etsy site at Barb's HeartStrokes

to win one of her Christmas pieces, simply leave a comment on this post.

For additional entries:

* be a follower

* blog about this giveaway (2 entries)

* facebook & link to this post (2 entries)

* twitter & link to this post (2 entries)

* can you even THINK about Christmas during the summer heat? Share with me your thoughts on this and get (3) YUP - THREE extra entries!